Hassan Al Haffar

Religious Hymns and Prophetic Praise

• Religious Hymns and Prophetic Praise

• Religious Hymns and Prophetic Praise

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A collection of religious chants and praises of the Prophet by Hassan Al-Haffar (1943-2020), a Syrian Islamic vocalist. Born in one of the neighborhoods of the old city of Aleppo, he is considered one of the last masters of tarab in the Levant, a reviver of Andalusian and Aleppan mushahids, and one of the great musical giants of Tarab, alongside Adib al-Daikh, Tawfiq al-Manjid and Sabri al-Mudallal. Trained in the fields of chanting and Quranic intonation, Al-Haffar became a muezzin in the great Umayyad Mosque in his city of Aleppo, and his voice, which pierced the silence of the city before prayer, attracted the attention of renowned teachers who recognized his potential, including the chanters Sabri Mudallal, Bakri Kurdi, and Abdel Raouf Hallak. Al-Haffar studied the principles of Quranic recitation, intonation, and the maqamat (melodic modes) of classical Arabic music, in addition to his familiarity with Aleppo's lyrical heritage of qudud, muwashahat, and qasidas (poetic compositions), which he enriched with his own stylized, but not exaggerated vocal embellishments. Later, Al-Haffar founded his own group of vocalists and percussionists ('Mazahir') and began performing musical evenings in Aleppo. Among his most notable concerts outside his city were his three visits to France, accompanied by his teacher Sabri Mudallal. After the passing of Sabri Moudallal, the dean of Aleppan singers, Sheikh Hasan al-Haffar became one of the most prominent living masters of the Sufi chanting tradition, both in its religious and secular forms. The Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute) in Paris honored Hassan Al-Haffar by dedicating an exceptional album to him. The release, titled Waslat Halab (Aleppo Suites), consisted of three CDs that honor his legacy and provide an almost complete portrayal of Aleppan singing in general, and of Al-Haffar's 'rituals' and characteristics in particular.